Redshirt-sophomore forward Whitney Bibbins claimed her second-straight LSWA Player of the Week honor after averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game during the Green Wave's march to the 17th Annual Tulane/DoubleTree Classic title.

Jan. 2, 2013

NEW ORLEANS -
The calendar may have flipped from 2012 to 2013, but the honors continue to roll in for Tulane University women's basketball standout Whitney Bibbins as the redshirt-sophomore forward was named Louisiana Sports Writers Association Player of the Week on Wednesday.

The honor is the third consecutive weekly award earned by the Baton Rouge native as Bibbins claimed the LSWA distinction last week and was named Conference USA Player of the Week back on Dec. 10. She picked up this week's title after averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while connecting on 68.0 percent of her field goals (17-of-25) during the Green Wave's run to the 17th Annual Tulane/DoubleTree Classic title last week in Devlin Fieldhouse.

"I think my teammates have really been encouraging me a lot," Bibbins said on Sunday following Tulane's 69-63 tournament championship-game win over McNeese State. "They've been pushing me and they've been giving me some good shots. They've really been there and motivating me."

Bibbins, who started both games in the DoubleTree Classic, saw 27 minutes of action in each game and added a pair of assists and blocked shot to her scoring and rebounding tally. She opened the tournament with an 18-point, eight-rebound, two-assist, one-block effort during Tulane's 71-65 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, and followed that up with her first double-double of the season in the title-game win over the Cowgirls.

In the game against McNeese State, which saw Tulane rally from a seven-point deficit late in the second half, Bibbins tied her career high with 25 points and pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds. She connected on 6-of-12 field goals and 6-of-8 free throws in the opening-round victory over the Eagles, and was even better against Cowgirls when she hit 11-of-13 field goals and 3-of-5 free throws.

For the season, Bibbins leads the Green Wave in points (143), points per game (15.9), field goals made (56) and field goal percentage (.514) while sitting second on the team in free throws made (31), third in rebounds (58) and rebounds per game (6.4), fourth in free throw percentage (.689) and tied for fourth in blocked shots (6)

Bibbins and the Green Wave return to action on Monday, Jan. 7, when Tulane closes out non-conference play against Loyola-New Orleans at 5:30 p.m. in Devlin Fieldhouse. From there, the Wave begin Conference USA play at home against SMU on Jan. 10.

For tickets to those games, as well as future Green Wave events, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office. The Ticket Office is located on the first floor of the Wilson Center on Ben Weiner Drive, and tickets can be purchased in person, over the phone at 504-861-WAVE (9283) or via the Internet at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.

The mission of the Tulane University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is to support the university's purpose of enriching the capacity to think, learn, act, and lead with integrity and wisdom. This is ensured by providing our student-athletes and staff with opportunities for competitive success and personal growth within the context of sportsmanship, teamwork, and integrity.